Regardless of whether the midterm election is a Republican blowout (I’ll believe it when I see it), I urge keeping in mind that election of more Republican officeholders is not sufficient to stop the decline of the nation. The survival of America requires destruction of its existing political party establishment and most of the administrative state.
The above is a post I made on Facebook on November 4, 2022. I will expand on the somewhat conclusory statements.
The Federal government of the United States is the largest employer in the world. It is said to be the largest organization of any kind in the world. The total number of employees is unknown, but it is a very big number. The total number of employees of businesses or other organizations the jobs of whom are to provide goods or services to or on behalf of the Federal government is unknown but enormous. The percentage of economic activity in the United States attributable to the Federal government is unknown but huge. (There may be estimates, but those made by the government, or entities dependent on the government, are presumptive BS.) It is ridiculous to believe that the size of the Federal government can be decreased when so much of the population has a vested interest in that not occurring.
Federal government transfer payments as a percentage of total economic activity are unknown but very large. (Of course transfer payments are not economic activity, but to the extent they are not borrowed, they arise from economic activity.) Increasing levels of transfer payments (absolutely and as a percentage of total “economic activity”) is hardwired into the Federal budget, the structure of the economy, the culture of the nation and the psyche of the population. It is silly to believe that transfer payments can be reduced to any meaningful degree.
The size of the Federal government and its impact on the economy as a whole insures increased government spending, budget deficits, and government debt. It is insane to believe that the Federal government can meet its obligations. Default or sustained very high inflation is certain.
According to The Congressional Research Service, at the commencement of the 117th (current) congressional session, Senators serving at the beginning of that session had an average of 11 years of prior service as Senators. The comparable prior service of Representatives was 8.9 years. If each Senator and Representative completed the current term, the average number of years of “service” would be 17 and 10.9 years, respectively. Because congressional “leadership” is generally based on seniority, average tenure greatly understates the entrenched nature of the political establishment in the Legislative Branch. It is delusional to believe that the likes of Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy will attempt to, let alone succeed at, meaningful change in the size, growth or nature of the Federal Government. That would be inimical to their personal interests.
The Administrative State is composed largely of career employees. Even with changes in the presidentially appointed senior administrators, it is clear that such officials cannot change the character of the agencies they supposedly lead. Anyone who believes that agencies (e.g. FBI, CIA, State Department, Department of Defense) are less than autonomous entities pursuing their own institutional agenda, is intentionally ignorant.
Who first said, and exactly how it was said, is lost in history, but it is manifestly true to say that “things that cannot continue don’t.”
It takes a long time for empires to fall – 500 years in the case of Rome. The demise of the United States in it’s current form, or at least in its current nature and direction, lies in the near, not distant, future. For real change to occur requires replacement of the current political class, regardless of party affiliations and other meaningless labels. For long-term prosperity to become a real possibility requires fundamental disestablishment of current institutions and economic entities. For domestic security and tranquility to recur requires wholesale changes in social, cultural and moral norms.
